Dr. Dre's 20 year-old son found dead

Reuters Staff

2 Min Read

<p>File photo shows rap artist Dr. Dre in Los Angeles, California June 8, 2006. Dr. Dre's 20-year-old son was found dead over the weekend at his home in Woodland Hills, California, according to the Los Angeles County coroner's office.Lucas Jackson</p>

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The 20-year-old son of Grammy award-winning rapper and producer Dr. Dre was found dead over the weekend at his home in Woodland Hills, California, according to the Los Angeles County coroner's office.

Andre Young Jr. was out with friends Friday night and his mother later found him "unresponsive in bed" when she tried to wake him early Saturday morning, coroner's spokesman Ed Winter told Reuters. She immediately called paramedics, who later pronounced Young dead at the scene.

"Dr. Dre is mourning the loss of his son Andre Young Jr. Please respect his family's grief and privacy at this time," said a statement released by his spokeswoman.

An autopsy was conducted and the cause of death is still pending toxicology and other tests, which may take six weeks or more, Winter said.

Dr. Dre, whose real name is Andre Young, rose to stardom in the 1980's with rap group N.W.A's controversial gangster rap album "Straight Outta Compton." Dr. Dre later went on to produce and perform solo, winning a Grammy award in 1992 for "The Chronic" album's single "Let Me Ride."

He founded both Death Row Records and Aftermath Records and is recognized for bringing many rap phenoms into the mainstream, including Eminem, Snoop Dogg and 50 Cent.